(NBC News) The border crisis is back on front burner in Washington, with a new plan by President Obama to speed up the hearing process for Central American children who want asylum in the United States.

In Honduras, wracked by gang violence, an Obama pilot program would offer hearings to kids seeking asylum who claim they’re in special danger.

“They don’t need to make the dangerous journey to the U.S. to make that asylum claim,” explained White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest.

The few who would qualify would come straight to the United States. The hope is the rest would see they wouldn’t qualify if they got to the U.S. and would be deported if they made the journey, and therefore wouldn’t try to come.

Many Democrats like the plan, but most Republicans want faster deportations of those already here, not a program to bring in more children.